3 comments about King Alfred the Great.

1. Alfred Smith, a professor of medieval history at the University of Kent, provides us with a masterful biography of Alfred the Great. Smith's biography is a radical departure from the traditional view of Alfred as a neurotic invalid who remained piously illiterate until he was almost 40. Alfred's life is thoroughly examined to reveal a man of great physical stamina who had been a scholar all his life and who used his intellectual abilities, military prowess and administrative skills to change the course of English history prior to the Norman Conquest. This beautifully written biography examines Alfred's writings and charters, the Anglo Saxon Chronicle, and Asser's biography of Alfred (which Smith believes was a medieval forgery). This biography should be added to the library of historians, students and lovers of medieval history!



2. A great and comprehensive biography of one of the most amazing figures of history. Although some may take a little time getting used to the Saxon names and genealogy anyone who enjoys biographies or history should love this book.
   
   Although filled with detail Smyth breaths life into the days of Alfred. A religious man who was both a brilliant scholar a brilliant tactician and one tough soldier. Such was his brilliance he did such remarkable things as help to adapt the Viking boat to suit his own army's needs for a craft more suited to navigating the coast of Britain.
   
   He almost single-handedly created what we know today as England and through his treaty with the Vikings he established an economic zone of a type shared by both the Saxons and the Vikings and in so doing played an important role in the creation of the English language.
   
   After his peace with the Vikings he established a just system of laws and an aggressive plan to educate the populace of England.
   
   The biography starts with the peculiar and unfortunate circumstances within his family that led to his succession. He found himself, trained as monk, in the midst of one of the great watershed moments of British history when England was being overrun by the Vikings. His campaigns as a defeated underdog reclaiming his kingdom makes for truly exciting reading. The book is filled with detail including shedding light on how the main biography historians in the past (Asser's "Life") had been drawing from was a forgery.
   
   The story of the forgery of Asser's "Life" , what was the standard biography of Alfred the great up until recent times, is in itself a story within a story in this book.
   
   Through the examination of works of Alfred himself we come to understand his great wisdom.
   
   A fascinating read about a monumental figure of history.
   
   Highly recommended.



3. This is ONLY for the most studied scholars and is in no way meant for any sort of casual reader, even a well-educated History major, like myself. I begged my wife for this book for Christmas and was reaquainted with "Be careful what you wish for..." This is a VERY serious, dull read. I cannot recommend this book, even though I love the subject. Stick with Duckett's Alfred the Great... http://www.amazon.com/Alfred-Great-England-Phoenix-Books/dp/0226167798/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244169871&sr=1-4

No comments about An Introduction to Wall Inscriptions from Pompeii and Herculaneum (From Pompeii and Herculaneum).

5 comments about In Search of Your German Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in the Germanic Areas of Europe.

1. This is a great place to start for German genealogy. Mr. Baxter gives a brief history of Germany (including the Soviet breakup) and locations of record repositories. As in all of his other book, he tells you how to start your research (talk to Grandma before it's too late!), an overview of the LDS organization and tips and guides to doing research in Germany. He also gives you information on the languages of the area and what types of records you might expect to find. Do not despair of finding people in Germany-Mr. Baxter can help. You'll never regret buying this book.



2. The sub-title of "A complete guide to tracing your ancestors in the Germanic areas of Europe" is rather misleading. It is not "complete" by any stretch of the imagination.

   This is a very brief introduction (103 pages of text) to a very large topic. Some aspects of German research are treated in only the most cursory manner - the Lutheran church covered in a chapter of a single page while the Germans in Canada are dealt with in only 3 pages.

   The section on German record types leaves the reader wishing for more information. Which is the feeling the entire book gives "I wish there was more here".

   While this book has been updated to reflect the reunification of Germany, this is not Angus Baxter's best book. His "In Search of Your British & Irish Roots" and "In Search of Your Canadian Roots" are much more comprehensive in their scope. Because this book compares poorly with his other works, I have given it only two stars.




3. If you're researching German ancestors who emigrated to the U.S. or Canada, then this book is a good place to start.
   Baxter provides a brief history of Germany and describes German migrations over the centuries to specific areas of central Europe such as Silesia, the Banat, parts of Slovakia, the Ukraine, and southern Russia. Baxter also traces migration patterns into North America where many Germans settled in Pennsylvania, the mid-West, and the Kitchener area of Canada.
   He describes the different groups that settled in specific areas, including their place of origin, religious background, and dates of migration.
   There is also a lot of useful naming information, which includes the changing of names' spellings, the system of patronymics used in some areas of northern Germany, the use of 'von' or 'Von' in one's surname, and the use of diminutives in first names.



4. Terrible waste of money. The first third of the book is a history of Germany, which anyone could find on Wikipedia. Do not buy this book.



5. Now in an updated fourth edition, In Search of Your German Roots is a guide created to help readers track their German ancestry, regardless of their personal familiarity with the craft of genealogy. Chapters walk one through conducting research via correspondence and e-mail; working at home on an ordinary personal computer with internet access; and tapping into the resources of libraries, archives, and church and state records. Filled with useful websites and e-mail addresses as well as the newest facilities and records available, In Search of Your German Roots is a solid, easy-to-use, plain-terms manual, highly recommended especially for anyone just starting a research project.

No comments about The Murder of Mr. Grebell: Madness and Civility in an English Town.

3 comments about Jews in Poland-Lithuania in the Eighteenth Century: A Genealogy of Modernity.

1. It is well worth reading but I wish it was longer and more detailed. And, would it be so terrible if it were discovered that changes to Jewish religious practice in 18th Century Poland were borrowed or influenced from sources outside the Jewish religion? Maybe one day we will know more.



2. The subtitle is misleading: this thorough discussion of the non-integration of Jews in the Polish Republic for several centuries does not reveal the genealogy of modernity at all. It reveals why a modernized and nationalized Poland in the later nineteenth and twentieth century would not be able to tolerate such a large undigestible blob in its midst.



3. Please don't be put off by uninformed reviewers- I find these last critiques quite unhelpful. Hundert's work is the consummation of a career dedicated to bringing our understanding of the East European Jewish past out of a conceptual ghetto by taking the Polish context seriously and tracing the development of a Jewish social and economic niche in Polish towns and cities. At the same time, Hundert details inner Jewish life, covering every conceivable dimension of Polish-Jewish civilization during the 18th century- religious, communal, economic, cultural (especially print culture), social, etc. It provides an interesting description of the spread of kabbalah, the rise of Hasidism, and the emergence of a Polish Jewish bourgeoisie. Most importantly, Hundert draws attention to the demographic significance of Polish Jewry, which constituted about 3/4 of the world Jewish population by the 18th century! Admittedly, it can be dense at times; but would you prefer a sleek but superficial account? The persistent reader is rewarded with a rich exposition of East European Jewish life, which was decimated during WWII.

3 comments about Frederick the Great: A Historical Profile.

1. This work is the study of a society as reflected in the life of Frederick the Great. The subject of interest is not so much the man per se but rather his interactions with the society he did so much to shape. Ritter's treatment allows the reader to learn about Frederick but not to know him as a man. In fact, the work serves largely to sublimate Frederick the man to the Prussian state. The reader sees Frederick as having succeeded not through divine placement but by luck, reason, and a commitment to the state above all personal and worldly considerations. But despite all Frederick's realism, as revealed by Ritter, he remains an enigma. Indeed, as Paret alludes to in his introduction, certain events of European history and aspects of Frederick's life are not explored in Ritter's European-oriented presentation. Certainly my own lack of understanding of the complicated alliance patterns of early modern Europe detract from my understanding of the book.
   
   Frederick's reign seems to have marked a crucial turning point in history-- one toward the development of the modern European nation-state. Frederick utilized the French designs of emerging nationality to bring to life a state whose purpose was to further the good of all its inhabitants rather than to serve as an instrument of the prince's vainglory. From the mediaeval throes of dynamism was born the modern state. To a large degree, Frederick the Great was Prussia; he raised her to a level of power that would not long outlive him. This is what makes Ritter's biography history.

   There was a certain ambivalence evidenced in Frederick's conception of warfare. He only pursued war to further the state, and he learned from war--especially his initial invasion of Silesia. Always, Prussia in the end seemed to prosper from her ruler's military actions. Central in Frederick's conception of the state was the need for a vigilant standing army. To oversee this grand army, Frederick developed a program for proto-modern statehood--in all aspects to be overseen by him personally. In his state, he sought to utilize the nobility in a paternalistic system. Patriotism was his goal; his military leaders were not to fight for him but for Prussia. Frederick was deeply involved in military strategy; as a soldier-king he demanded discipline and controlled aggression among his men. Significantly, over time he came to see the value of statecraft over military action; after his Silesian invasion, his wars seemed more defensive in nature; often no decisive victor emerged from battle. He came to realize that warfare was constrained by the state's national resources. As Ritter describes it, Frederician warfare was defined by maneuverability and limited aggression. It is the birth of patriotism in the form of Frederician absolutism that lies at the heart of Ritter's study. Compelled by the rise to power of Naziism, Ritter seeks to show how such German nationalism had originally been born.




2. Who was Frederick the Great? Where was Prussia? What was the political dynamic in Prussia? What was the interest in Silesia? This book offers everything from the most basic answers to interesting facts to a great military mind on a relentless campaign for national prestige. Not many people know much about Prussia; this book helps you stand out from the crowd and enjoy doing so.



3. Book was a dull read. No insight to the man and why he did what he did. Not very good story telling.

No comments about Florence and the Medici.

5 comments about Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway.

1. I have never read a more hilarious piece of academic literature. The Norse Kings are so funny... you wouldn't believe how many of them died in drunken accidents. But that's not the book's focus. As a college junior, I found this book to be a great reference for my History and English papers and have included it in my necessary-reference-books collection. Sturluson is great! A very entertaining read.

   Word Ninja




2. First of all, a great translation! Fun and interesting (often very violent) reading. A good history also. Worth reading.



3. "The Heimskringla" was written around 1230 by Snorri Sturluson, a powerful Icelandic chief living in Norway. Snorri also wrote the "Prose (or Younger) Edda", a book about poetry that incidentally gives much valuable information on heathen Scandinavian mythology. While Snorri's contemporaries primarily regarded him as a politician and dangerous enemy, posterity remembers him as a writer and poet.
   
   "The Heimskringla" is a highly entertaining work, at least if you are a hard-core Viking or medievalist buff. The story starts in Sweden, at Old Uppsala, then moves on to Norway, with occasional landfalls in England, Spain, Constantinopel and even Jerusalem. Today, the earliest portion of "the Heimskringla", the saga of the Ynglings, is regarded as purely mythological. While Old Uppsala undoubtedly existed (the large burial mounds mentioned by Snorri still stands), it was hardly the capital of a powerful Swedish kingdom. The later parts of Snorri's work deal with real people: St. Olaf, Magnus the Good, Harald Hardruler, Sigurd the Crusader, and others. This part of "the Heimskringla" blends fact and fiction. Some has been confirmed by other medieval chronicles. For instance, Sigurd did sail all the way from Norway to Palestine around the year 1100! Much else sound like tall-tales, as when St.Olaf, still a young boy, attacks and plunders the heathen Estonians...
   
   Even so, this work tells us a lot about how at least some groups of Scandinavians saw themselves and their world during the 13th century. To a modern reader, much of it sounds shocking. That Muslims and heathens should be killed is taken for granted. Sigurd takes a dip in the Jordan river at the spot where Jesus was baptized. Then, he moves on to kill some infidels. He never sees any contradiction. Martial prowess, at as young an age as possible, is the ideal. Most wars are actually fought between different Christian factions. Part of the heroic exploit is to capture and enslave the womenfolk of your enemies. There are also constant supernatural occurances, as when an angel stops St.Olaf from sailing through the strait of Gibraltar, or when Harald Hardruler is saved by a supernaturally risen St.Olaf!
   
   Most of the people described in this remarkable chronicle are Christians, as was Snorri himself. Yet, it's as if the Viking Age never ended. Onward, Christian Vikings!



4. Don't be afraid to start this very, very long book. You can skip around and read the exciting histories of the kings of Norway. I loved the tale of how Norway's "1st King" Harald Fairhair conquered the kingdom for the sake of a gal he liked. The sections on St. Olaf are good too. Happy reading!



5. Any prospective reader should know that Snorri has not written a comprehensive history of ALL of the Norwegian kings. His account stops in 1177, so don't expect any juicy gossip about the current king, Harald V or his son, the crown prince Haakon. Still, if the prospective reader's interest is the medieval history of Norway, Snorri's sagas are a good primary source to read. In fact, the prospective reader should stongly consider this work if he or she has a strong interest in medieval history in general, or if he or she is interested in the Christianization of Northern Europe, or if he or she wants to learn more about Norwegian state formation, or if he or she likes to read gory stories about Norwegians killing Norwegians.

2 comments about The Reforms of Peter the Great: Progress Through Coercion in Russia (New Russian History).

1. This is a well written book, linking Peter's reforms to the political culture of Russia and the USSR. Anisimov is in agreement with Voloshin in describing Peter as the first Bolshevik. If you love Russian history, and if you want to understand the people of this fascinating country, this book is a must--have!!!



2. Now, I have been taking a Russian history class, so it was required to pick up a couple of history books to read. This one was an excellent book, though at times, facts and figures bog the reader down. Overall, Anisimov clearly unfolds the story of Peter I's reforms, while occasionally sneaking in some wry wit. Some of his remarks almost made me laugh out loud!!

   Definitely a must have for anybody interested in Peter I!

5 comments about Into a Paris Quartier.

1. Nice book. The writing isn't very clever, nor humorous. Pretty straight forward. However, if one knows the 6th as I do, I found the book very informative and I felt like I learned a lot about this wonderful arrondisement! If you don't know the 6th district, I'd pass on reading the book. If you do, I think it's a must read.



2. This book is absolutely marvelous! Especially for those who travel to Paris and like to stay in the St. Germain des Pres district, as I do. Ms. Johnson gives many informative bits of info on this area in Paris. It's an absolute delight to read!



3. I read the reviews of this book after reading the book. I read the book while planning for and staying in an apartment in the St. Germain des Pres neighborhood. I have read Ms. Johnson's fictional series as well. Like those books, I found this to be a pleasant conversational recounting of her relationship with her neighborhood.
   
   What I have enjoyed about Ms. Johnson's albeit modest fictional works is her feel for the shared spaces of the American living in Paris, as an ex-patriot or accidental player in the space, with the French and with Parisian life. They seem to be stories of what happens the space of the intersection and the effect on both the American players and the French. I found the same quality in this book.
   
   Into a Paris Quartier isn't a guidebook or a profound memoir. It's a conversational piece written in the greatest part from the subjective point of view of the author's influences and experience. Take it for that, and I think it meets expectations. Ask for something more or different and you probably really want to read a different book.



4. I wish I had read these reviews before purchasing this book (these reviews do not appear for the paperback version). I was so disappointed by this book. The storyline is disjointed and the writing style (those long, rambling sentences) is downright annoying. I liked the photo on page 74 and not much else. I wanted to sell my copy of this book, but used paperback copies are going for 49 cents. I guess that tells you something.



5. Diane Johnson's stream-of-consciousness approach to the history and contemporary life of St. Germain-des-Près is often enjoyable and sometimes irritating. Her book's cover art promises a focus on turn-of-the-century Paris à la Lautrec posters, but the history which interests her most is that of the 17th century and the life of Queen Margot, daughter of Henri II and first wife of Henri IV. Her choice to organize the book around her own life, centered on her apartment at 8 Rue Bonaparte and its proximity to Queen Margot's chapel (now part of the École des Beaux-Arts), gives her plenty of opportunity for chatty commentary, but does not provide a clear framework for the history.
   
   In a book which is clearly "travel history lite," does this matter? I think so. Ms. Johnson could easily have written a book which used the history of St. Germain strictly as a backdrop for her daily life, encounters with interesting Parisians, and comparisons of French and American mores. There's plenty of this in the book. But she is also seriously interested in the architectural history of the quarter and clearly enjoys ferreting out the dramatic history of its occupants. She's done some wonderful research and there is much fascinating information here - but this book doesn't quite make it, either as a guidebook (too haphazardly organized) or as an armchair read (despite a very nice map, it is hard to avoid the sense of being bounced about from street to street and century to century, somewhat willy-nilly). As bedtime reading, which will be forgotten quickly, OK. But I think her hope was for a more serious reception. Better organization could have helped.
   
   There are some fun facts here. I can easily ignore her silly remarks about identifying with Diane de Poitiers because she is named Diane (DUH!), but her reflections on French and American history also strike me as pretty wide-eyed and superficial. She is fascinated with the Huguenots and her description of their history in the 6th arrondissement was new to me. But even after describing the terrible persecution that they endured, she is bemused by why it is often so hard to find out who was Huguenot and who was not. Seems obvious to me - if you may get killed for a belief, you don't exactly advertise it. She subscribes to the point of view that the Huguenots' adoption of Calvinism was politically motivated; this would have been a surprise to my Huguenot ancestor, whose beliefs brought him no material benefits and led only to persecution and exile.
   
   Nevertheless, I'm glad to have read the book. I agree with Ms. Johnson that it's much more interesting to traipse around looking at doorways and courtyards and discovering the history behind the walls of Paris, than it is to stand in lines to climb the Eiffel Tower. It's nice to find so much information about the Institut de France - I asked several people about this lovely domed building but since it's not a stop on a tour, no one had much to say about it. There's a library inside where she writes her books! Yes, fun facts. So if that's your need, and you're interested in St. Germain, this is a nice read. Another plus - some great books listed in the bibliography!